Love Lost, Love Found
by Madame-Bonnefoy24
Summary: Not all of the young nins who went on the Sasuke Retrieval mission made it back to the village. Thrust into more secrets than Kiba ever thought possible, can he survive this new reality? - Yaoi ( ?/Kiba, Naruto/Kiba)
1. He is Missing

**This is a rewrite of my story "Love Lost, Love Found." After logging on for the first time in years, I re-read my old stories with something akin to horror. I thought that my writing was excellent, but it really wasn't. I now feel more confident in my writing and am determined to complete stories for the first time. **

**Those who had read my story before, you will find similar elements to the previous story, but also quite a bit of differences. I hope this revised story is more detailed and entertaining. **

**Please enjoy**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kiba gritted his teeth, the pain in his abdomen overwhelming as he rested against the scratchy, dark tree trunk supporting him. Tears ran down his bloody scraped cheeks, allowing the red tattoos to become more pronounced as the dirt from the previous battle was washed away. Slowly his left hand lifted from the ground to be placed against the stab wound in his side as his right hand continued to stroke the dirtied fur of his longtime companion.

'_Oh Akamaru_…' Kiba thought as his fingers stilled, his thumb slipping between his dog nin's closed eyes to rest on the wet nose. He could barely see the small, white chest expanding and contracting, the only sign that the pup was still alive. A sudden wave of self-loathing filled him even as the edges of his vision wavered and darkened, causing him to take a shortened gasp. A slight hiss escaped his chapped lips when he exhaled a small twinge of pain radiated from the wound, only to numb moments later. It became increasingly difficult to think, and so he let his head fall back against the dark trunk, his dark, slitted eyes slipping closed at the same time. He listened to his surroundings grow fainter while his heart beat slowed as darkened blood continued to leak between his loose fingers. Finally, he let his hand fall to the ground, the bloodied palm facing the sky above as if asking for the gods to absolve him for his past sins.

Getting separated from his teammates, allowing his best friend to take the brunt of a cruel backhand for him, and not being strong enough to live. All of these were mistakes that he would never be able to rectify. He held no delusions that help was coming. This was understood to be a classified to mission to bring a lost teammate back, although if Kiba were to be completely honest, he would have opened the gate himself to see Sasuke...the traitor... leave.

The Inuzuka was tired of seeing bright blue eyes grow dim whenever the lone heir snapped and turned his back on those that considered him nakama and wanted nothing but the best for him. Why Naruto ever bothered with the only heir of the Uchiha clan, Kiba didn't know. It was a bond he would never understand. But that's what made Naruto a light in this confusing world. Therefor when the blond asked him be a part of this mission, how could the Inuzuka say no? And if he had said yes for other reasons...well that's neither here nor there. It was too late now.

Kiba's body trembled once, twice, before stilling, and the Inuzuka could no longer hear the forest around him; could no longer feel the matted, dirty fur of his best friend beneath his fingers nor the stinging pain of the wound in his side. Despite not wanting to die, brunette felt oddly at peace. Even though his time in this world was short, he could only think of one regret.

"So this is it, Akamaru. I guess it's my time." Kiba muttered, his last words whispered out his last confession where only the birds and plants could hear him.

"I should have told Naru...that I…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Dark red eyes gazed down at the brunette before him, taking in the limp figure of the pre-teen. The orbs traced over the torn fishnet shirt where several bruises were already visible, peeking out from beneath the fabric, down to the deep wound where the blood was slowing as the others life force bled out. He glanced up to the face, taking in the soft and almost peaceful expression that covered the sharp features.

The strangers eyes focused on the Inuzuka's face for a few more moments before making his decision. Carefully, he removed his hands from the black robe that surrounded his body, the sound of the light cloth blending in the with song of the wildlife in the forest. His left arm slipped behind the young boy's head and the tree trunk while his right arm made its way under the brunette's sprawled legs, gathering them up into one grip. Carefully he lifted the Konoha nin, making sure not to drop the little white furball that rested on the others lap. It seemed he would take them both, then.

He braced the light body and it's passenger against his chest, ignoring the growing red stain that began to spread on his own clothing. A small smile graced the stranger's lips. Even though it seemed that the young nin was dead, the stranger could still feel the other's chakra struggling to keep his heart beating. The will of fire was not yet ready to give up.

"BRAT! Where are you?!" a dark voice suddenly cried out, causing the stranger to shift his embrace on the Inuzuka so that the other lay comfortable in his arms and protected against the strong chest. A small whimper was his only response. The man who now carried the young pre-teen could sense the enemy nin advancing on their location. He wasn't worried. He was more than powerful enough to take care of a childish sound nin, however he didn't feel like getting caught up in a conflict that was not his own.

With as much gentleness as he could garner, the silent man jumped onto the nearest branch while simultaneously cloaking his chakra. The young nin in his arms hardly emitted any chakra, so he didn't have to worry about alerting the enemy to which direction he took. Adjusting his hold on the nin one last time, the stranger disappeared, cloaked in the darkness of the forest.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Sasuke! Listen to me! You are my nakama. Please come back!" a haggard Naruto shouted, the corners of his eyes shining with unshed tears. His jaw felt swollen from the well placed punch seconds...minutes…hours ago. The blond had lost track on how long he and the Uchiha heir had been fighting, Naruto mostly on the defensive while Sasuke attacked with precision and focus. The landscape around both was littered with craters where their bodies had landed when one managed to get the upper hand. _

"_Nakama? You are no such thing to me. I don't need anyone to hold me back," Sasuke answered, his newly formed clawed wings catching the body of the younger nin, compliments of the curse mark inked permanently on the side of his neck. Naruto only had time to take in a small breath of air before he was flung against the side of the mountain. The rocky surface broke apart to make way for the new obstacle, small and large rocks littering the ground before a body landed upon them. Naruto coughed, specks of blood flying from thin lips as he raised a shaky hand to wipe the residue away. _

"_You're wrong, friends don't hold you back," Naruto said as he struggled to stand. His chakra was almost depleted and his body on the verge of exhaustion. He wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer. Still, he had to try._

"_It's the bonds you form that make you strong! They give you something to fight for," the blonde finished as Sasuke walked up to him, eyes slitted in disgust. _

"_Then why are you so weak?" the Uchiha responded before he struck, the sole of his left sandal digging into Naruto's side as he kicked the other down. _

"_Look at you, Naruto," Sasuke added while placing his foot on top of the others chest. "Who is the one with has back on the ground? Why are you fighting so hard for something that never existed? I feel nothing when I see you below me, except for triumph!" _

_Naruto winced, bright blue eyes staring worriedly at his friend...ex-friend? He wasn't sure. How could it have gone so wrong? He thought that by coming here, by showing Sasuke that he was loved and treasured, that it would change the others mind. Naruto had believed that there was good still left in him and that he was just being lead astray by his burning desire for revenge. But now, he wasn't so sure. What was it that Kiba had said? _

'_I can smell the evil on him…'_

_Naruto had ignored that assessment, sure that Kiba was wrong and that he was projecting his own prejudices. After all, it was no secret to the village that the Inuzuka and Uchiha heir seemed to hate one another. They often had to be separated from one another when a fight broke out between them, and most of those fights had centered around the blond himself. More specifically, how Sasuke treated the boy who tried so hard to befriend him. _

_He should have listened. _

"_If you need more proof of my will, Naruto, I will be happy to show you. I can go back and kill all of those so called bonds," At this, the blond began to struggle, hands gripping tightly onto the foot holding him down. He dug his nails into the soft skin, trying to cause the other to let go in pain, but Sasuke didn't so much as flinch._

"_Sakura, Shikamaru, Chouji, Neji…Kiba," Sasuke teased. At the last name, Naruto growled and using the last of his strength, he managed to lift up and away from him. Sasuke took a couple of steps back to avoid falling, a stony look on his aristocratic features. _

"_I fucking knew it," hissed the Uchiha as dark storm clouds rolled in from the south, as though they were summoned by the others mood. The shadows that fell across straight nose and strong jawline darkened. The other nin looked absolutely furious. Naruto pushed himself up into a crouch, a small kunai held in front of his face for protection. The blond's facial expression matched the raven's perfectly. _

"_You talk of our bond as if it's something special, and yet you form a stronger one with a useless dog," Sasuke spat._

"_Don't talk about him that way," Naruto growled; and Sasuke huffed in annoyance, his eyes taking on a dangerous glint. _

"_Let's finish this," he said. Naruto nodded and slowly stood. Carefully, he spread the fingers on his right hand, summoning the rest of the chakra he had left. The wind around the blond rose, whipping his short hair around as a blue ball formed, resting a couple of inches above his palm. _

"_I won't let you hurt them," Naruto whispered. He would die before he allowed Sasuke anywhere near the village that housed his friends, especially the Inuzuka. The Uchiha followed suit, electricity jumping from his palm as the sounds of a thousand chirping birds filled the air. As they stood facing one another, the clouds grew heavier and heavier until finally one let go of the liquid it held inside. _

_As the first drop of rain hit the soft earth, the two struck. The surrounding area lit up, as though the sun had broken through the clouds and the landscape trembled at the enormous power the two created. Debris from the ground and surrounding rocks launched into the air and were flung out towards the trees that were bending from the force. A howling wind twisted around the power source, removing any living thing from the vicinity. It seemed as though it would never end, and the chittering and crackling noise grew louder and louder until...it suddenly stopped. _

_ A silence filled the area which just a few seconds ago seemed as though it was screaming, and in the middle of the crater that was created by the two nin lay the blond. He was unable to lift his right arm, the broken bones grinding against one another causing sharp pain to shoot up into his chest. The bright orange clothing was so torn there was no hope in saving it. Dull blue eyes gazed forward, half-lidded. The dark sky had broken up seconds prior, allowing the light to shine through on the broken figure lying on the ground and the one standing right above him, glaring down. _

_ The curse mark on the Uchiha had receded so that his figure looked more human. His dark top had a large hole in the chest, showing a bright burn mark right in the center; proof that he had at least been injured in the struggle. His right arm hung limply down by his side. Slowly, he knelt down until his twisted face was right above his once friend's. He noticed the other boy briefly glance in his direction before closing his eyes, prepared for whatever fate the Uchiha had in mind. Sasuke smirked. _

_ "I'm not going to kill you, Naruto," he said. Naruto's eyes snapped open to look into Sasuke's own. The raven chuckled at the questioning look in the others blue orbs and continued on. _

_ "No, I'm going to wait. I want you to become stronger, Naruto. That way when I destroy Kiba right in front of you, you will finally know what it's like to lose somebody you love, and be helpless to stop it." _

_ Naruto's expression morphed into one of horror as understanding filled his eyes. But before he could say or do anything, Sasuke quickly stood and delivered a hard kick to the side of his head, and Naruto knew no more._

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto awoke to the sound of beeping machines and a painful headache, each of these senses telling him that he was, indeed, alive. He lay there for a couple of minutes, just breathing slowly while listening to the people walking in the hallway and the shouts of children playing just outside the window. When he became more tolerant to the throbbing in his head, he attempted to open his eyes. The first attempt ended with his eyes scrunched shut once more and a hiss escaping his lips as he dealt with the sudden, sharp pain that had enveloped him. The second was more successful and he was able to focus his gaze on the white ceiling above him.

As he stared, his temporary forgotten memories began to resurface. Unbidden tears gathered in the corner of his eyes, but he blinked them away. No, he would not cry, not over the Uchiha. After all Naruto had done to try to befriend the silent raven, to form a bond with the other as he had not really done with anyone before; he felt heartbroken and angry. As the Uchiha's words echoed once more in his mind, the blond unconsciously clenched the hospital sheet into his fists. Sasuke had threatened Kiba. Naruto silently promised himself that he would make sure the Inuzuka was protected. As he had stated before, he would not allow Sasuke to hurt any of his friends, especially one that Naruto secretly wished would become a little more.

Before he was able to think on the betrayal any longer, the door to his room slid open. Naruto turned his head to greet the pinkette who had just walked in.

"Oh, Naruto! You're awake. Good," Sakura said, evidently pleased. The blond forced a small smile before allowing his face to become passive once more. How could she appear so happy to see him when he had broken his promise to her? As if reading his mind, Sakura expression morphed into one of worried compassion. Gently, she placed one of her soft hands on top of his left fist, and Naruto was slightly surprised to feel his body relax a little into the hospital bed. Everything that needed to be said between them was communicated through their gaze, as Sakura's intense green eyes bore into the blond's own blue.

Finally she looked away, moving her hand at the same time to turn mess with the flowers that were sitting by Naruto's bedside. The blond hadn't noticed them before, and he was oddly touched that somebody had cared enough to send him flowers. The blond opened his mouth to speak but quickly erupted into a coughing fit. Sakura made a few soothing, shushing sounds as she handed him a warm glass of water. Naruto nodded in thanks before parting his lips to allow the water to flow down his sore throat. After a few mouthfuls, he handed the glass back to Sakura so she could set it back on the bedside table.

"How long have I been out for?" he asked, wincing at the raspy quality of his voice. Sakura paused before looking straight at him. He deserved that much as her teammate.

"When Kakashi-sensei found you, you were in bad shape. Almost all of your chakra had been depleted, not to mention the numerous injuries across your body. You almost died of blood loss, and if that didn't then the swelling of your brain would have. I can't believe anything could have fractured that hard head of yours," she joked before becoming serious once more. "We had to put you into a medically induced coma. You've been asleep for six days, Naruto. Today is Wednesday," she finished.

"Ehhhhh!?" Naruto yelled, his body pushing forward of its own accord before seizing up in pain. He lifted his right arm in the familiar motion to rest against his chest, only now realizing that is was wrapped in a tight cast.

"BAKA! Did you not hear the part where you were critically injured!?" she shouted, green orbs raking over the body before her for any signs of bleeding. When she was satisfied that there was none, she placed her hand on the blond's chest and forced him back down to rest against the bed and soft pillow.

"I'm sorry," Naruto replied, knowing that he had worried Sakura when she was being so kind to him. "I just can't believe I've been asleep that long...what happened to the others?" he asked, hoping that they weren't as injured as him. After all, it was partly his fault that they were assigned to the mission in the first place.

"Well, I'm fine, thanks for asking" a voice answered, and both the occupants turned to see Shikamaru standing at the entrance, leaning against the open door.

"Hey Shikamaru!" Naruto laughed, using his left hand to wave the lazy nin in. The Nara pushed off of the frame and wandered in, a smile upon his lips.

"I'm glad you're alright!" the blond said, noting the others clean and almost flawless appearance. Shikamaru turned his calculating gaze on to the injured nin and held up his right hand. Naruto's eyes zeroed on the lone finger wrapped and splinted.

"This is about it," he replied, and Naruto chuckled, holding his ribs as he did so.

"Only you could come out of a fight with only a broken finger," the blond replied. Sakura lightly shook her head and smiled while Shikamaru winced, moving his left hand and placing it behind his head, scratching the course hairs. Naruto noticed the wince and a serious look over overtook his face.

"What happened to the rest of the team? I remember Lee coming to help with the bone guy," the blond asked and Shikamaru nodded.

"Lee is fine, just a couple of scrapes and bruises. He was out of the hospital within an hour. Gaara managed to arrive just in time to save him from any real harm."

"Wait!" interrupted the blond. "You mean Gaara saved Lee?"

Shikamaru nodded, "Yes, it seems that our Hokage made a peace treaty with the Sand Village, and to show their support, the Sand sent Gaara and his siblings to help with our mission."

"Oh…" Naruto said, taking in all the new information. He relaxed further into the bed, his eyes moving to stare at the ceiling. "Who would've thought? I knew Gaara had some good in him" the blond smiled.

"Yes, it seems so," Shikamaru agreed, and continued on: "Chouji and Neji were both critically injured and each had to be rushed into the emergency rooms. They are still in there, so no there is no news yet. I was heading to Chouji's room when I heard you scream" Shikamaru said, and Naruto looked down at his hands, the left clutching his blanket in a tight grip. 'Neji….Chouji….'he thought, hoping the other two would pull through. Bright blue eyes glanced toward the Nara once more.

"Hey Shikamaru. You didn't say anything about Kiba yet. How is he?" Naruto asked, and was met by silence. Sakura looked toward the window with a haggard expression that did not fit her youthful face while Shikamaru looked down at the floor, hands in his pockets. A knot formed in Naruto's stomach, his eyes widening and tan skin paling a little. Shikamaru noticed the alarmed look on the others face and held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Naruto, he isn't dead." The blond's look softened a little, though it was still there.

"Then what happened. Why are you acting like this?" Naruto questioned

"Naruto…Kiba…he…" Shikamaru stumbled, trying to find the words.

"He has disappeared. We don't know where he is"


	2. The Secret: Convince Tsunade!

Naruto hurried as fast as he could toward the Hokage's office, despite the pain in his chest and his right arm throbbing in time with his heartbeat. Sakura and Shikamaru had tried to stop him, determined that he should stay in bed and rest, but Naruto was still as stubborn as he had been when he was five-years old and stealing to survive, undeterred by the beatings he would receive if he was caught. So instead they offered to go with him, if only to make sure that would make it, but Naruto simply shook his head and thanked them for their help. This was something that he wanted to do on his own. The two thankfully understood.

The blond wanted to talk to the Hokage as quickly as possible, however as he neared the door to her office he could already hear yelling inside. Naruto halted before the large mahogany, unsure of what to do. He could feel the strength leaving his body at a steady pace, and honestly felt like collapsing upon the floor. The guards before the door looked uneasy, as though they wanted to be as far away from the building as possible. Both gave him pitying looks. The blond didn't need to worry asking permission to go inside, the two Konoha jounin had already been instructed by the Hokage herself to allow him in whenever he needed her. It was a privilege she allowed the young boy as she took on the role as his unofficial grandmother.

He had just resolved himself to opening the door when he heard the shout of a name that was so familiar to him. Kiba. Somebody in there was talking about Kiba, and as he listened closer he could make out the voice of none other than the Inuzuka matriarch. Lowering his hand, he placed his ear against the thick wood so he could hear better, his senses zeroing in on what was taking place in the room.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"He is my son, Tsunade!" Tsume growled out, her face bright red from anger, sharp nails drawing blood from digging into her palms.

"I know that Tsume, but we don't have the resources to conduct a wide-scale search! We already have three teams of Jounin searching for him, but we still have to protect this village," Tsunade explained for the second time, her own face turning red causing a vein to protrude from her right temple. This was a disaster. Once again she found herself wishing that she had sent a jounin on the retrieval team and if there had been one available she definitely would have. Leave it to Orochimaru to cause her such headaches, even after all this time.

Tsume huffed, resisting the urge to reach up and pull her dark brown hair from her head. It was a poor habit that she had picked up when her husband had abandoned her, and she did not want to go down that route again. It had taken years for her hair to have any semblance of normalcy, and besides, Kiba had been taken. He would never leave the family voluntarily despite what most of the villagers seemed to think. Although she tried to ignore them, it was hard not to hear the harsh whispers not only directed at her son, but at her as well.

_"Her son disappeared."_

_"Well, you know what that is 'code' for, don't you?"_

_"I heard from some men that he betrayed the village."_

_"Really? How awful."_

"_He probably left to get away from his crazy mother. Honestly, that whole family is worse than the beasts they take care of."_

_"What a shame…"_

Those hateful murmurs would stop as soon as the women saw an angry Tsume walking in their direction. Embarrassed and slightly scared, one woman rushed out to meet the Inuzuka matriarch.

"I'm so sorry about your son, I hope they find him soon," the woman said, bowing down in respect. Insulted by the obvious lie, Tsume glared at the group, muttering curse words that she hoped would make some of them blush and faint. As soon as she passed, however, the whispers would start up once again. Tsume would have to control her sudden instincts that urged her to march over to the group once more and tear them apart using her teeth and claws.

"Do you know what those stupid villagers are saying about my son!? They are calling him a traitor! I know him, and I can tell you he would never betray Konoha!" Tsume growled, pleading her case to the Hokage sitting in front of her. Tsunade sighed, leaning her head on her hands, weariness overcoming her. She knew it would be a battle as soon as she called the irate woman into her office to deliver the bad news.

"I know Tsume, but I'm sorry. I can only give two more days. If he isn't found, I will be forced to call off the search teams," Tsunade said, looking into the woman's sharp brown eyes. Tsume's stomach dropped, her blood running cold at the serious tone in the Hokage's voice. There was no point in arguing with her, it wouldn't get them anywhere, and it certainly wouldn't help Kiba. Besides, it was probably the council's decision, not the Hokage's, to call off the search. They had to keep the village's best interests in mind.

Tsume lowered her head, trying to hold back the tears that were burning behind her eyes. Tsunade glanced away, giving the strong woman some privacy.

"I really am sorry, Tsume" the Hokage whispered, and all the other woman could do was nod.

"Is that all?" Tsume asked, wanting to get out of the office as quickly as possible.

"Yes you may leave," Tsunade said, watching sadly as the Inuzuka turned and walked away.

Naruto stepped back as the door was slammed open, and Tsume paused at seeing the blond standing there. Her eyes softened as she took in the figure of the young boy. Unlike most of the villagers and shinobi, she did not treat Naruto any differently even knowing that he was the container for the kyuubi. She'd like to imagine that she was a good judge of character and the other had been nothing but courteous everytime he was invited over by her only son. In fact, he seemed to fit in better with Inuzuka clan than in the actual village. There were many times that she was tempted to invite him to live with her and her clan, but she knew that clan politics would just get in the way. The Uzumaki didn't deserve to have even more ridicule heaped upon him than there already was, and she knew that the scandal would just cause the villagers to treat the poor orphan even more roughly than they already did.

Tsume began walking once more and as she passed the young blond, she placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort. She knew what he was here for, and she hoped that he had better luck than she did.

Naruto smiled at the gesture before gathering his strength. He took a deep breath, allowed it to flow out, and walked through the door. As he entered the large room he saw the Hokage sit up, a bottle of sake clutched in her right hand and a small cup in her left. As she placed the cup on the desk, she briefly glanced at him before removing the top of the alcohol with her thumb. Carefully she poured the clear liquid into its vessel while tilting her head to the right. A clear invitation.

The Uzumaki made his way to stand in front of the woman who he thought of as family.

"I had a feeling you would come here, Naruto," Tsunade began, throwing the shot of sake back and swallowing with a sour expression on her face. She had known exactly when the blond had awoken from his coma, and honestly she had expected him to come sooner. She probably had Sakura to thank for that. She rested her gaze upon the younger's face. "Speak."

"Granny, I want a mission," Naruto stated, getting right to the point. He didn't want to delay this any further. The Hokage raised a slim eyebrow as she poured herself a second shot. As soon as the burning liquid slid down her throat, she slammed the cup down and clasped her hands before her.

"What kind of mission do you want? And mind you, I do not have to concede, I'm just curious what your going say, although I already have a feeling what it is," she stated, and waited for the boy to reply.

"I want you to assign me to a Kiba retrieval mission," he said in a steady tone. Tsunade's eyes narrowed into slits as her temper took over.

"What the hell do you think I have been doing? Just sitting here…minding my own business? I have three teams of jounin out there, looking for Kiba, and they have come up with nothing! NOTHING! What makes you think you can find him?" she asked, her temper flaring. Three days without any proper rest had caused her to snap at her favored student, and Naruto unconsciously stepped back. "My answer is no. You just got out of intensive care, and you need to rest. I do not want to send you on another retrieval mission, especially based upon how the last one went…" she continues, voice sharp. However this did not deter Naruto, in fact it made him even angrier.

"What? How can you say that? You can't judge future missions based on past ones!" he shouted, his own stubbornness making an appearance. "I'm fine! If I can walk, I can go on a mission!" he went on, using his sensei's logic to justify his position. But he could tell that this did not convince the Hokage. Desperate and angry, the blond opened his mouth without thinking.

"Sure, you let me go when it's Sasuke at stake, cause he's a Uchiha, right? But when it's someone who is not so powerful, you don't care, do you?"

The sound of splitting wood echoed through the air, and Naruto's eyes froze as he stared at the fuming woman. He hadn't meant to say that, but he couldn't help what he felt. Even while they were at the academy, everyone always seemed to have their mind upon the Uchiha. Most of the girls had crushed on the moody pre-teen while the boys tried to talk to him in hopes of becoming popular and more influential. Even when team seven was formed, Kakashi-sensei spent most of his time training Sasuke, often leaving Naruto and Sakura on their own to learn basic skills. However, he knew that Tsunade didn't care about clan names, she had spent too much time out of the Fire country to let clan politics bother her. It was an unfair statement.

"Listen here, punk! Don't you ever, EVER, imply that I don't care about the people in this village! I care about them all, equally, and that includes both you and Kiba. Understand?" she hissed.

"Yes…I'm sorry," Naruto responded, sufficiently cowed. Tsunade relented on seeing the downtrodden expression on the face of the boy she looked at as a little brother. She sighed and sat down, only slightly annoyed that she would have to replace her desk, once again.

"Why do you want to go so badly?" the Hokage asked, curious to why the blond was so adamant on looking for Kiba. Sure, she had seen the two boys interact plenty of times before, and was secretly glad that Naruto had such a good friend. But this went beyond just friendship. Not even Shikamaru had argued so insistently.

"Granny...I think I love him."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shikamaru hummed to himself as he made his way to his favorite cloud-gazing location. After Naruto barged out of the hospital, Sakura had excused herself with a slight bow and left him standing in the entrance as she headed in the direction of the Yamanaka's flower shop. His only response was to shrug. He had tried to visit Chouji earlier and decided to leave since most of the boy's family was resting in the hallway. So now he had nothing to do.

The Nara wasn't ready to go home just yet. He couldn't bare to feel his mother lightly touch him every time she passed by, as though convincing herself that he was indeed here and not dead. He also didn't want to see the relief paint his father's eyes whenever he passed by, thankful that his son was not currently battling for his life inside the emergency room. It only disgusted the younger shadow user. Although he understood why his parents were thankful, he also couldn't shake the guilt that welled up in his heart when Hinata walked by him, head down and tears running down her cheeks, or when Chouji's father and mother embraced him in mutual comfort. After all, he knew he had failed his teammates, and his only penance was a broken finger.

It was this line of thinking that led him to the only place he could think of where he could relax. However, as he climbed the last hill that gave him access to the open sky, he saw someone else sitting on the ground; somebody he wouldn't have guessed even knew about this spot.

"Hello, Shino," Shikamaru greeted as he sat upon the soft grass. The bug user glanced to the side and nodded, but did not speak. The Nara shrugged his shoulders, determined to try and clear his mind from all thoughts about his best friend in the hospital. He flopped back onto the grass, placing the back of his head against his folded hands so he could gaze at the sky.

Shikamaru wasn't sure how long the two stayed like that, but it was a comfortable silence. The shadow user hadn't felt this relaxed since before he agreed to the mission and became its de facto leader. Shino had a calming aura that surrounded him that was quite different from the other nin that graduated with them. Come to think of it, knew a lot about most of his fellow shinobi, but he couldn't think of a time where he was alone with the other brunette. The most he could remember about the other was that he was extremely smart, often coming in just right behind Sasuke and himself during the academy years, and beyond what his jutsu was, he didn't know much else. Perhaps he should change that.

Shikamaru studied the features of his companion, truly looking at him for the first time. Shino's coat, which normally hid the bottom half of his face, was open, giving Shikamaru an open view. His calculating brown eyes traced over the other's fair features, studying the others delicate jawline before moving up to look at the boy's soft, full lips. The bottom half was slightly plumper than the top, but both halves were surprisingly smooth. The young nin's nose was straight at the bridge but slightly rounded near the nostrils. Shikamaru's gaze glanced towards the glasses that sat across the nose, hiding his eyes, and the Nara had a sudden urge to lift the barrier away. What did the other look like without those glasses?

"I can feel you staring, you know," Shino said, causing Shikamaru to blink rapidly. Just how long had he been gawking?

"Sorry," he replied, a light flush spreading across his cheeks. At this, Shino moved slightly until he was fully facing his companion, and Shikamaru sat up in response. Shino seemed to study him for a moment before letting out a haggard breath.

"Why didn't you ask me to join the mission?" the bug-nin asked. Shikamaru's eyes widened in surprise, but he should have guessed that he would be asked this. After all, Kiba was the other's teammate, and one couldn't help but to feel responsible when something goes wrong. Even if they weren't there. Guilt flooded through Shikamaru once again and he ended up looking towards the sky once more. He felt that he could no longer face the other nin.

"It was originally assigned to Naruto...we just...kind of ran into people along the way to the gate," the Nara explained, although that sounded weak even to him. He wished that they would have spent just a little more time arranging their team. He had miscalculated and it had cost him a friend. "I'm sorry," he added.

Shino made a sound of acknowledgement, and glanced down, a troubled look on his face. Shikamaru placed a hand on the other's shoulder, as he would have done if it were anyone else.

"Hey, we will find him," the Nara stated, voice firm. He knew that Tsunade did not want to assign genin on another retrieval mission, but he hoped that Naruto would be able to convince her otherwise. The blond was almost always able to bring someone on his side, it was made him special. Maybe she would acquiesce if they were assigned a jounin to the team. Shikamaru was itching to set his past wrongs, right again. Bringing Kiba home would give him peace that he has not been able to find since the botched mission.

"If Naruto can convince the Hokage to let us search for Kiba, I promise I will bring you with us."

Shino turned to him once more, as if he was searching for something. After a few seconds, it seemed as if he found it for he let out a small smile that somehow brightened his features. Shikamaru flushed once more and turned away, eyes seeking out the shapes of fluffy clouds in the bright blue sky. Whether or not Tsunade would allow them one more mission was trivial now, for there was one thing that Shikamaru realized.

He would do anything to see the other boy smile again.


End file.
